As more and more Americans are working from home, they are slowly discovering the pros and cons of the situation. While on the one hand, there’s no long commute or standing on crowded trains, conversely, they might be experiencing distractions such as children, pets and limited (or no) home office space.  In addition to these issues, it’s sometimes difficult to stay on track without access to everything in the office – files, co-workers, equipment, conference rooms, etc. But there are hundreds of apps available to help you do just that – stay in touch and work together as a team. Here are seven of my favorites.

1. Zoom – Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows screen sharing, recording and instant messaging. Zoom can be used to hold staff meetings, teach classes or host a virtual event. They have a free version with limited capabilities. For example, you can only record for up to 40 minutes on the free plan, and attendance is limited to 100 people. https://zoom.us/
2. Trello – This is a collaboration program on steroids. Not only can you upload documents, you can create project boards, tasks and to-do lists. Share your boards with team members so they can contribute and view progress. Don’t worry – they only see the boards you give them access to, so the rest of your site remains private. Get as detailed as you want with due dates, comments and attachments. The possibilities are enormous. https://trello.com/home
3. Evernote – This app is useful for taking and sharing notes, collaborating with others and clipping articles from the internet. You can create Notebooks to keep everything organized by category. I always have Evernote open when watching webinars to make note-keeping easier. Evernote automatically saves the note every few seconds, so you don’t have to worry about losing it if you step away. Once you set up your account, you can access your notebooks from any device! They have a free Basic plan, which limits you to two devices and a small amount of storage. So if you need to add more devices, or want to collaborate with others, you’ll have to upgrade. https://evernote.com/
4. G-Suite apps – Docs, Hangouts, and Drive make sharing and coordinating files easy. You can store and share in the cloud, synchronizing all your files across devices. Log into your Google account to get started. Google is offering its paid business versions for free for a limited time. With unlimited storage, it’s a cost-effective way to collaborate. Docs.google.com And if you need to access your computer at the office? Try Chrome Remote Access. Log in remotely and work as if you in front of your monitor in the office. Just remember to leave the settings on your office computer set so it never goes to sleep. https://remotedesktop.google.com/
5. Dropbox – Available on iOS and Android devices, this is a common file sharing tool. Upload photos, videos and documents from the office, then access the same file at home or on your phone. There are free and paid versions, depending on the amount of storage you need. You can invite others to share your folders, giving them access only to those files. dropbox.com
6. Hubstaff – This is a time tracker software for desktop, iPhone and Android devices. In addition to it being a project management tool, it also creates online timesheets, offers GPS tracking and productivity monitoring. Your team can keep track of work hours, so you’ll be able to see exactly what they’re working on and where a project (or your staff) is at any time. hubstaff.com
7. Quickbooks – While I’m used to the desktop version of Quickbooks since most of my work is done from home, they have an online version that can be accessed from any smart device. You can look at balances, download and log receipts, or create invoices on the go. No software download needed, but you’ll have to pay a monthly fee for the service. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/online/apps/

Whether you return to your home office in a few months, or keep working from home, these apps will help you stay on top of projects, employees and your financials from anywhere.